


You’re Heading for Disaster (Because You Never Read the Signs)

by szm



Series: Daredevil Kink Meme [9]
Category: Daredevil (TV)
Genre: Infidelity, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-08-20
Updated: 2015-08-20
Packaged: 2018-04-15 15:58:15
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,409
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4612677
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/szm/pseuds/szm
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Based on this prompt: Matt is cheating on Foggy with Frank Castle. And then he accidentally calls Foggy "Frank" in bed.</p><p>While Frank is technically Foggy's name, Matt has never called him that before, so Foggy's a little confused but he laughs it off. It was just a weird little slip up, he thinks.</p><p>Then he meets Frank Castle, and he puts two and two together.</p>
            </blockquote>





	You’re Heading for Disaster (Because You Never Read the Signs)

**Author's Note:**

> The title is a line from 'Too Much Love Will Kill You' by Queen

**The Worst Day of Foggy’s Life.**

Foggy stood outside Matt’s (his too as of three days ago, that still felt weird) apartment struggling to find his keys. He thought Matt must be out, Foggy was awful with keys, normally while he was searching Matt would somehow sense that Foggy was there and open the door, but today nothing. That was okay, Foggy found the key (in a pocket he’d looked in twice already) and opened the door.

He heard Matt chuckle from somewhere in the apartment. Foggy would normally have called out to his boyfriend to let him know he was home. He didn’t. Afterwards, looking back on this moment he never knew why he didn’t… if he had… maybe they would have been able to cover it up, maybe he wouldn’t have seen.

For the rest of Foggy’s life he could never decide if that would have been better or worse.

**Three Days Before.**

“Right that is _officially_ the last box! I am all moved in,” declared Foggy loudly dropping the last box of clothes on the table with a loud thump.

“I thought official moving in celebration was from the last box _unpacked_ ,” grinned Karen.

Matt laughed. “Then we’ll probably be waiting 20 years, I’m pretty sure Foggy packed at least some of these boxes for college.”

“Who says me and my boxes will still be here to take this kind of abuse in 20 years, Murdock?” grinned Foggy. It spoiled his argument when he slipped his arms round Matt’s waist and pressed a soft kiss to the back of his neck. 

“You’re staying right here, forever,” Matt said leaning back into Foggy and Karen awww’d at them, smirking fondly.

Later, after Karen had gone and they’d stowed the boxes away to be unpacked properly later, Foggy was pressed into the sofa by Matt’s hot mouth and wandering hands. “You won’t really leave me, will you?” asked Matt into his neck, quietly enough that Foggy didn’t think he was supposed to hear.

“Never,” replied Foggy, turning his head to give Matt better access to his neck. 

Matt pulled away and cupped Foggy’s face in his hands, making Foggy look right at him. “But what if..?” he asked.

“ _Never_ ,” interrupted Foggy. “I’m here forever, no getting rid of me, I wouldn’t let you.”

“Good,” said Matt fiercely. Sweeping back in to kiss Foggy senseless.

Later still when they were curled up together in _their_ bed Foggy was dropping off to sleep when Matt whispered into the pillow next to Foggy’s head. Foggy didn’t really hear it, and certainly didn’t remember come morning. “I love you, I’ll stop, I swear Foggy, I’ll stop. I can’t lose this, I love you.”

**The Worst Day of Foggy’s Life.**

It was only a second. It felt like a lifetime. But it was only a second. 

Foggy came round the corner, into the apartment proper. He could see into the kitchen area. He could see the scarred expanse of someone else’s back. There’s a black t-shirt on the floor and an open first-aid kit on the table. And Foggy is only there for a second before he walked out. But all the details are scorched into his brain.

Half open first aid kit on the table. Large, fresh bandage on the other man’s lower back. The t-shirt is black, dropped on the floor. Matt hates that, clothes on the floor. When they shared a dorm room he’d rant for hours if Foggy left as much as a sock… The t-shirt is black, and it has a large white symbol on it… a skull. Like the new guy Matt’s been chasing round Hell’s kitchen for months. The _murderer_ Matt’s been chasing round Hell’s Kitchen for months.

The man has Matt backed up against the counter. Leg pressed between Matt’s, Matt is… god Matt is beautiful. Head tipped back and eyes screwed up tight, long expanse of neck, the man is whispering in Matt’s ear. Matt’s chuckle is deep and throaty and Foggy waits for Matt to realise he’s there. But he doesn’t. He doesn’t because all his senses are focused on someone else. “Please…” Matt breathes out, his voice catching on the end of the word, Foggy doesn’t know if he manages to get the rest of he thought out because he turns and goes. Being careful not to let the door slam behind him.

He doesn’t know why he didn’t slam the door. Why he didn’t shout and scream, or even try to punch something. He felt numb. He couldn’t even cry. He just walked, and kept walking, without even a destination in mind. He just kept walking.

**Six Months Before**

The scratching noise woke Foggy, he lay in bed for a moment his heart racing. Loud in his own ears.

“Foggy,” called Matt softly. “It’s only me. Don’t be scared.”

Scared? Foggy is _terrified_ because it’s the middle of the night and Matt is breaking into his apartment making enough noise to wake Foggy up. So he must be injured really badly. Matt never makes noise if he doesn’t want to. Even before Foggy knew about Matt’s stupid ninja training he used to joke that he needed to get Matt a bell. He’s up and into the lounge in record time. He switches the light on, visually checking Matt for injuries, then skimming his hands over Matt trying to find out what’s wrong. “Matt? What’s wrong?” he asked urgently. “Did you hit your head or something?”

Matt caught Foggy’s hands and held them still. “I’m fine, Foggy. I had a close call. But I promise I’m not hurt. I just wanted to see you. I… I love you, okay?”

Foggy’s still worried because Matt is acting strangely, but he smiled and replied “Love you too, buddy.”

“No,” said Matt shaking his head. “Not like that. I…” And he kisses Foggy. He kisses Foggy right there, still in the stupid _mask_ and Foggy can feel the cool slickness of it and the edge of it pushing into his face and it doesn’t matter. It doesn’t matter because Matt’s lips are warm and slightly chapped against his own and Foggy kisses back. He’s wanted this since the first day they met. But then he remembers that they don’t do this. Matt always shuts them down before they get to this point. Matt doesn’t want this. So Foggy pulls back. 

“What?” asked Foggy feeling lost and unmoored, like he’s drifting. He has so many things he wants to ask but he can’t force them out. ‘What’ is all he can manage.

Matt swallows, “I love you,” he repeated desperately. “I know I’m not good at saying it…”

“I know that,” said Foggy, making himself take a step back until he can be sure this is what Matt really wants. “I love you too. But… this,” he gestured between them. “You don’t want this. I flirt, you flirt back to a point, and then you shut me down. That’s the way we work.”

Matt looked actually hurt at that. Foggy wanted to take his words back. “I want it,” said Matt. “I just… I was… you were always too important to lose. I… I always screw up this part.”

“So why now?” asked Foggy. “And don’t tell me it was because of a close call, you’ve had them before.” Way too many times for Foggy’s peace of mind.

“I nearly slept with someone tonight,” said Matt dropping his head to hide his face. Someone I don’t really even _like_ and all I could think about was you. All the ways he wasn’t you…”

Foggy’s heart jumps at the ‘he’, he wonders if Matt noticed. Matt’s never dated guys, as far as Foggy knows. Foggy has the odd once or twice. But never Matt.

Matt stopped talking, like he’d run out of words. He’s turning away, heading back towards the window, like he’s incapable of using a door. And isn’t that Matt all over? Why do something the easy way when there’s a hard way available.

“Do you want to go for dinner some time?” asked Foggy, his mouth working without a lot of input from his brain. “With me?” he added, in case that wasn’t clear.

Matt turned back and the hope and joy on his face was blinding. “Like a date?” he asked almost shyly.

“Yeah,” said Foggy. “We could see how it goes, if this is something we _both_ want to try? Tomorrow night? I’ll pick you up about 7?”

“Yes,” said Matt quickly, beaming at a spot just by Foggy’s left ear. “Can I have another kiss now? For the road?” he asked because he wouldn’t be Matt Murdock if he didn’t push his luck.

Foggy laughed and pecked Matt’s forehead over the mask. Matt pushed the mask off his face and cupped Foggy’s head in his hands. Brushing his lips against Foggy’s. “I that all I get?” he asked slyly.

“We haven’t even been on a date yet,” laughed Foggy.

**The Day After.**

Foggy went to Brett’s. Brett was the only person who wouldn’t push when Foggy said he didn’t want to talk about it. He just made up the couch and told Foggy he could stay for one night only. They both knew he didn’t mean that. 

Foggy’s phone kept ringing. Matt, and messages from Matt. Probably some from Karen too by now, he was worrying them. Matt probably didn’t even know that Foggy knew. And Karen certainly didn’t know what was going on. Did she? Did Matt tell her and they were keeping it a secret. Foggy wished the numb feeling would go, he wanted to be angry, or at least to be able to cry.

Brett got home from work, he glanced at Foggy’s cell phone on the table. Foggy hadn’t even been able to touch it, not even to turn it off. Brett picked it up and glanced at the missed call list. Turning it off and dropping it on the table top. “So Murdock came in today. You’re missing, didn’t go home last night. I think he knows you’re here, but he didn’t actually come out and say that.”

“He knows,” said Foggy blankly. He could hear Foggy’s heartbeat, track him down through smell. He had to know.

Brett hesitated. “He said he didn’t know why you didn’t come home. Does he?”

Foggy looked up at Brett. “He cheated on me, he’s gotta suspect I know. But no, I don’t think he _knows_.”

Brett let out a breath, “Jesus.”

Foggy laughed at that. But it was sharp and hurt his throat. “This guy, he isn’t anything like me,” explained Foggy. “He’s a fighter, all muscle and scars. Like Matt. Why would I even think Matt would…”

“Hey,” said Brett. “Murdock is an idiot. And you’re the fighter. You always have been. Never met a lost cause you didn’t try to argue your way out of.”

“Not that kind of fighter,” said Foggy blankly. “I was stupid. I’ve never been anyone’s first choice my whole life. Don’t know why I thought Matt would be any different. Hell, it took _years_ before he even considered giving me a go.”

Brett looked murderous, but all he said was “Want to get very drunk?”

Foggy shook his head. “I think I just want to sleep.”

“Take the bed, “said Brett. “I can handle a night or two on the couch. 

Foggy didn’t have the energy to argue.

**One Month Before**

Foggy loved giving Matt blowjobs. He loved the smell and taste of _Matt_ and the weight in his mouth. The sounds Matt made and the way he tangled his hands in Foggy’s hair but never tried to direct him. It was amazing. Listening to Matt coming apart, broken words and nonsense phrases, and this time was no different.

“Oh god, oh… best damn avocar… oh _Frank_ … Foggy…”

Foggy teased him afterwards, about how little sense he made. “Even breaking out my full name there, Matthew.”

Matt looked uncomfortable, but he laughed. Foggy just assumed he was embarrassed. After all he knew how much Foggy hated his full name. Foggy cuddled a little closer, to reassure Matt he wasn’t mad. After all, it wasn’t the first time it had happened. Foggy could deal.

**One Week After**

Foggy knew when Brett spoke to Matt. He came home looking angry. “Murdock is a dick,” he said to Foggy fiercely, draining half a bottle of beer. 

Even now Foggy had the urge defend Matt. It had been his default response for so long. He bit it back.

“You can stay here as long as you like,” said Brett. “If he comes here I’ll arrest him.”

“What for?” asked Foggy. 

“I’ll think of something,” said Brett darkly.

“I need to get my apartment back, or another one. I need to ring Karen, and then… I need to… we need to work out… what to do about Nelson and Mur…Murdock…” Foggy couldn’t carry on. Tears were flowing down his face and great sobs where welling up in his chest. Brett just wrapped his arms around Foggy and let him cry. Making soothing noises until the worst of it was over. Foggy couldn’t do anything, it was like the dam had broken.

“I could arrest him right now, if you like?” offered Brett, when Foggy had calmed down some. “I could indulge in some police brutality?”

Foggy laughed a sad pathetic little laugh, but a laugh. Even though it wasn’t funny, nothing about any of this was funny. 

“Really, I could,” said Brett, smiling at Foggy. “I could make The Punisher look like a nice guy.”

“Don’t do that. I really hate that guy,” said Foggy with feeling.

**One Week and Three Days After**

Foggy expected that Matt would show up sooner or later. He had a plan for that. He was going to be calm. Explain that he was hurt, that Matt needed to respect Foggy’s need for space right now. Then slam the door in his face and call Brett. 

But it wasn’t Matt that showed up. It was The Punisher. Long coat over the stupid skull t-shirt, it was the middle of the day. Wasn’t he breaking some vigilante code or something? He was a little bit older than Foggy had thought. Handsome, in a fearsome sort of way. A little bit taller than Foggy. A lot fitter. Stronger. Better.

Foggy tried to slam the door but there was a heavy boot in the way. “Foggy Nelson?” asked the owner of said boot.

“No, just missed him,” replied Foggy. “Try looking somewhere that isn’t here.”

The Punisher rolled his eyes. “Let me in, we need to talk.”

“I don’t,” said Foggy firmly. “Go ‘talk’ to Matt.”

“I’ve been trying,” said the Punisher. “He’s going to get himself killed.”

That made Foggy loosen his grip on the door and let the Punisher push past. “By all means wanted criminal, please, do come in and make yourself at home. My good friend the police officer will be back soon.”

“He’s just got to work. He won’t be back until the end of third shift. What do you need?” asked the Punisher.

“Nothing from you,” replied Foggy, crossing his arms over his chest. “Get out.”

“Yell at me, hit me, whatever. I had sex with your boyfriend, you get however many free shots you need. But _talk_ to him. He’s going out at night and he’s going to get himself killed because right now he doesn’t care if he lives or dies because he’s too busy beating himself up over you.”

“Look, what the hell is your name? I’m sick of referring to you as ‘The Punisher’ in my head,” said Foggy.

“Frank,” said The Punisher and Foggy felt his heart freeze.

“You,” he said as his world broke further apart, more to himself than to the man opposite him. “You’re _Frank_ , I thought… I thought he was saying ‘Franklin’. It happened a couple of times, but… months ago. You were fucking around _months_ ago…” Foggy wanted to be angry, maybe take that free shot. But he just felt broken.

“It wasn’t like that,” said _Frank_. “He loves you, properly all the way. We… hell, we don’t even _like_ each other. It’s just, sex. It _was_ just sex. It’s over now.”

“It wasn’t just sex,” said Foggy. “What I saw. If it had been, maybe this would be easier. It was _something_. Something he can’t get from me. So maybe… maybe he’s better off, not having to drag me around with him anymore. Maybe he needs someone who can keep up.”

“He needs you,” said Frank.

Foggy never understood why he did it. He kissed Frank. It wasn’t nice. It was hard and vicious, he bit Frank’s lip and he tasted blood. Frank matched him, kiss for kiss, but it was more like a fight than anything. Foggy scrabbled to get to skin. He wanted to see if there was a scar where that bandage had been. The one he’d seen on _Frank’s_ lower back that day. 

Frank caught his wrists and looked him in the eye. “Is this what you need, want you want, are you sure?”

Foggy knew he should stop. He knew that this was wrong, this wasn’t going to make him feel any better. But he didn’t. He met Frank’s gaze and didn’t flinch. “This is what I want. If you want to try and give it to me.”

Frank smiled but there wasn’t any humour or warmth in it. “I can see why he loves you so much.”

**One Week and Four Days After**

Foggy let himself into Matt’s apartment. Matt was waiting for him by the door.

“You knew I was coming?” asked Foggy looking anywhere but at Matt.

“I heard your heartbeat in the building,” said Matt. “I hoped.” He was holding himself carefully, like he wanted to touch Foggy but didn’t dare. Foggy hoped he didn’t. If he did Foggy might break into a thousand pieces.

“I had sex with _Frank_ ,” said Foggy unable to keep the bitterness out of the name. “Because that’s what we do now, right?”

“Foggy,” started Matt but Foggy didn’t let him talk.

“Only, it’s not what you do _now_. It’s what you’ve _been doing_. For months. How long, Matt?”

“Six months,” said Matt in a small voice. 

“The whole time, ever since _you_ started this.” Foggy had a sudden sickening realisation. “He was the guy, the one you ‘nearly’ slept with before…” Foggy laughed and it was bitter in his mouth. “I was the other woman!”

“No,” said Matt quickly and sharply. “I wanted to be with you, I love you. But him… it’s not… we don’t even…”

“Yeah, yeah, you don’t even like each other. I heard that song already. I don’t know why you think that would make it _better_ ,” snarled Foggy. “So tell me, what is it then? And don’t say ‘just sex’, don’t you dare.”

Matt wasn’t crying, but he looked like he wanted to. “I can’t hurt him. No matter how much I try, he can just… take it.”

“And I can’t? Jesus, Matt. Do you really think I’m some delicate little flower who can’t handle your dark side?” asked Foggy, finally feeling some of the anger he’d been wishing for the past two weeks.

“I don’t want you too!” shouted Matt. “I _adore_ you, you’re the best thing in my whole world. You’re the only one I… and I can’t… _I can’t_ let you be hurt. I can’t let you be hurt _by me_. It doesn’t matter if I hurt Frank. He hurts me right back. I…”

“You hurt me,” said Foggy quietly, but it was enough to stop Matt dead in his tracks. “You hurt me more than I thought it was possible for me to be hurt.”

There was silence for a long moment. Foggy carefully pressed the key into Matt’s hand.

Matt shook his head. “It’s yours.”

“No,” said Foggy. “Matt, I can’t come back here. I… I’ll see you at work tomorrow?”

Matt looked shocked, and a tiny bit hopeful. The hopeful hurt Foggy like someone stabbed him in the chest.

“You’re not leaving,” said Matt, so carefully like maybe saying it out loud would make it not true.

Foggy felt tears rolling down his face. “I don’t think I can, I don’t think I can stay either. I don’t…”

He fled the apartment. He didn’t know what was going to happen now.


End file.
